The 10-Game stretch that will make or break the Heat’s season

The Miami Heat should have a good idea of how they stack up against the NBA’s top teams by Thanksgiving.

For a complete set of takeaways from the Heat’s 2024-25 season schedule release, including national TV games, back-to-backs and key matchups, click here. But it doesn’t take a long scan to spot the Heat’s most crucial stretch of the season.

From Nov. 4 to 26, the Heat will face eight of the top teams in the league, with six of those games on the road. The stretch includes the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets, 2022 Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks, a stronger Phoenix Suns squad and a rising Minnesota Timberwolves group. It also includes Eastern Conference games against the Indiana Pacers, fresh off a trip to the conference finals, and reloaded Philadelphia 76ers team with championship aspirations.

Here’s that portion of the schedule:

Nov. 4 vs Sacramento

Nov. 6 at Phoenix

Nov. 8 at Denver

Nov. 10 at Minnesota

Nov. 12 at Detroit

Nov. 15 at Indiana

Nov. 17 at Indiana

Nov. 18 vs Philadelphia

Nov. 24 vs Dallas

Nov. 26 vs Milwaukee

The Miami Heat cannot take the first month of the regular season lightly, or they'll face an uphill climb in the standings.

Five of the Heat’s first six games will be played at home at Kaseya Center before the team embarks on a six-game trip tied for the season's longest road stretch.

The opening slate is relatively soft, with games against the Orlando Magic (opening night), Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. Of Miami’s first week of opponents, the only team besides the Magic that had a winning record last season is the New York Knicks (Oct. 30).

But then the Heat will play three straight games against the Western Conference’s elite. The Heat went a combined 0-6 against the Suns, Nuggets and Timberwolves last season (and, of course, lost to the Nuggets in five games in the 2023 Finals).

The Pacers return the core from their surprising run to the Eastern Conference finals, including Pascal Siakam, who re-signed on a long-term contract this summer, and Tyrese Haliburton, who won a gold medal alongside Bam Adebayo on Team USA.

The Heat return home from the six-game stretch to face the 76ers on the second night of a back-to-back set. The Sixers made the biggest splash of the offseason by signing Paul George to a maximum contract. They also nabbed Caleb Martin in free agency – a loss for Miami and an important addition for Philadelphia.

Perennial MVP candidates Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo (and primo co-stars Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard) round out the 10-game stretch.

It’s nine games against playoff teams in all, with the Heat’s only reprieve coming at the midway point against the Detroit Pistons.

This is an important stretch for a Heat team that won most of their games against soft competition but struggled against good teams last season. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Heat went 5-20 against teams in the top 10 in point differential last season.

By the end of November, the Heat will have tested themselves against those top teams. This 10-game stretch will serve as a barometer of where the Heat stand in the league.  

The Heat feel there is a championship-caliber core in their locker room. Without a major addition this summer, they will be banking on better health, a more engaged Jimmy Butler and internal improvement from Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic and others to improve on last season’s disappointing outcome.

There will be no time to ease into the season, and falling behind in the standings, as they did with their 1-4 start last year, could be catastrophic. It’s go time for the Heat from the jump. By Thanksgiving, we’ll know whether that championship-caliber core really exists.